The paper highlights some international differences in fields relevant for growth in selected transition economies, in particular eastern European countries and in Russia. Initial problems of transition were natural in a sense that systemic transition to a market economy has effectively destroyed part of the existing capital stock that was no longer profitable under the new relative prices imported from world markets; and there was a transitory inflationary push as low state-administered prices were replaced by higher market equilibrium prices. The papers focuses in particular on the role of structural change, financial services and the New Economy, analyses how those factors affect economic growth. The paper discusses theoretical aspects of growth in transition countries, presents policy conclusions and some historical data.